Royyala Iguru (Prawn Curry)రొయ్యల ఇగురు
Video: Powerchef Pranav (YouTube)
Royyala Iguru is the prawn curry Andhra home cooks reach for when they want intense, concentrated flavour without the creaminess of a gravy. The word iguru signals a dry, masala-forward stir-fry — the prawns cook down with onions and whole spices until every morsel is coated in a rich, brick-red paste. Coastal Andhra kitchens make this with fat, sweet tiger prawns from the Krishna and Godavari delta, which absorb the heat of the region's famous dry chilies. It pairs with steamed rice, ghee-drizzled pappu, or pulka rotis.
📍 Make it in Plano
This recipe is the same everywhere — but where you buy the ingredients and eat the dish is local to you.
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Ingredients
- ▪Prawns (royyalu), shell-on or cleaned500 g
- For the base masala
- ▪Onion, finely sliced2 large
- ▪Tomato, chopped2 medium
- ▪Green chilies (pachi mirapakayalu), slit4
- ▪Ginger-garlic paste2 tbsp
- ▪Whole dry red chilies (endu mirapakayalu)5-6
- ▪Curry leaves (karivepaku)2 sprigs
- For the spice layer
- ▪Red chili powder2 tsp
- ▪Coriander powder (dhaniyala podi)1.5 tsp
- ▪Cumin (jeelakarra), whole1 tsp
- ▪Turmeric powder0.5 tsp
- ▪Garam masala0.5 tsp
- ▪Cold-pressed groundnut oil3 tbsp
- ▪Saltto taste
- Andhra guntur or byadagi dry red chilies can be hard to source abroad — substitute with a blend of 60% Korean gochugaru (for colour) and 40% cayenne (for heat) to approximate the smoky-hot character without flying in the real thing.
- Cold-pressed groundnut oil is the authentic fat; outside South Asia, unrefined peanut oil (not the refined kind) gives the closest flavour. Avoid neutral oils like canola or sunflower — the iguru's aroma depends on a bold-flavoured fat.
- Fresh curry leaves are stocked at most Indian grocery stores; if only frozen ones are available, fry them straight from frozen in the hot oil before adding other aromatics to revive their fragrance.
Method
- 1Clean and devein the prawns; pat dry. Marinate with a pinch of turmeric, 0.5 tsp red chili powder, and a pinch of salt. Rest for 10 minutes.
- 2Heat groundnut oil in a wide kadai over high heat. Add cumin seeds and let them sizzle for 20 seconds. Add whole dry red chilies, curry leaves, and slit green chilies — fry 30 seconds until fragrant.
- 3Add sliced onions and cook, stirring often, for 12-14 minutes until deep golden-brown. Do not rush this step — the sweetness of the caramelised onion forms the body of the iguru.
- 4Add ginger-garlic paste and fry 2 minutes until the raw smell disappears. Add chopped tomatoes, red chili powder, coriander powder, and remaining turmeric. Cook on medium-high, stirring, until the oil separates from the masala, about 8-10 minutes.
- 5Add the marinated prawns and toss to coat in the masala. Cook on high heat for 5-7 minutes, turning once, until the prawns curl, turn opaque, and are thoroughly coated. Do not add water — iguru is a dry preparation and moisture will stew the prawns.
- 6Sprinkle garam masala, adjust salt, and toss on high heat for 1 minute. Finish with a few fresh curry leaves. Serve immediately with steamed rice and dal.
A Desi.Net original recipe · part of our Indian Cuisine library. Confirm details and adjust to taste.